Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 6.pdf/211

 1889. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 18 Jan. The largest number we saw carry silk during the two days.

Silk-petticoat. See Silk-stocking.

Silk post, subs. phr. (Grose).—'Assumption of a gentleman commoner's gown. Oxf. Univ. Cant.'

Silk-purse. See Sow's-ear.

Silk-snatcher, subs. phr. (Grose).—'Thieves who snatch hoods or bonnets from persons walking in the streets.'

Silk-stocking, subs. phr. (old).—A rich man or woman. [Silken hose were regarded as extravagant and luxurious.] Hence, the silk-stocking gentry (or element) = the wealthy classes; and silken = luxurious; Your silkiness! = Mr. Luxury. Also silk-petticoat = a woman of fashion (in quot. 1706 = a whore of price).

1596. Shakspeare, King John, v. i, 70. A cocker'd silken wanton.

1601. Jonson, Poetaster, iii. 1. Sir, your silkiness clearely mistakes Mæcenas and his house.

1706. Ward, Wooden World, 62, 'A Midship-Man.' He will have a Whore tho' he pay for it Silk-petticoats are not to be had for the uptaking.

Silkworm, subs. (old).—See quot.

1712. Steele, Spectator, No. 1564. The fellow who drove her came to us, and discovered that he was ordered to come again in an hour, for that she was a silk-worm. I was surprised with this phrase, but found it was a cant among the hackney fraternity for their best customers, women who ramble twice or thrice a week from shop to shop, to turn over all the goods in town without buying anything. The silkworms are, it seems, indulged by the tradesmen; for though they never buy, they are ever talking of new silks, laces, and ribbons, and serve the owners, in getting them customers.

Silly, subs. (colloquial).—A simpleton: also silly-billy (or willy), see quot. 1851, sillyton and sillikin. Hence to knock one silly = to hit out of time, or to affect au possible: e.g., 'She knocked him silly' = 'She sent him off his chump (wits, onion) about her.'

c.1620-50. Percy Folio MS., 199. I proffered him a favour; he kist me, and wisht me to beare with his behauior; but hie tro lolly lolly, le silly willy cold not doe, all content with him was spent.

1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 586. Sillyton, forbear railing, and hear what's said to you.

1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 144. Silly Billy is a kind of clown, or rather a clown's butt; but not after the style of Pantaloon, for the part is comparatively juvenile. Silly Billy is supposed to be a schoolboy, although not dressed in a charity-boy's attire. He is very popular with the audience at the fairs; indeed, they cannot do without him.

c.1876. Music Hall Song, 'Blessed Orphan.' They think I am a sillikin, But I am rather knowing.

1869. Spurgeon, John Ploughman's Talk, 101. Poor sillies they have wind on the brain.

Silly-season, subs. phr. (journalists').—The parliamentary recess: in the absence of debates, with a real or assumed dearth of news, the newspapers are driven to print all kinds of political and social twaddles: cf. gigantic goosebery, shower of frogs, Lord Rosebery's latest.

1882. Payn, For Cash Only, viii. Sir Peter's eyes grew big as gooseberries in the silly season, in his earnest intentness.

1883. G. A. S[ala] [Ill. London News, 22 Sep., 275, 1]. The Silly Season, forsooth! Why September is a month when, perhaps, the daily newspapers are fuller of instructive and entertaining matter than is the case at any other season of the year.